Hammer and Fickle

After two weeks of debate, King’s College has voted to keep the flag of the Soviet Union in their bar.

The voting took place in two stages on the new King’s College Student Union (KCSU) website and was open to undergraduates and graduates.

Voting was open for 48 hours, during which a total of 369 students cast their vote.

55% wanted to keep the flag as it is, whilst the remaining 45% voted to remove the flag or to replace it with something else.

Of the potential replacements, turning the flag upside down was the most popular choice.

However, the single transferrable vote system would have seen a yellow-on-red hammer and sickle (without the star that associates it with the Soviet Union) replacing the flag.

Keeping the flag as it is may have attracted more support if it were not for an email sent by Chad Allen, KCSU Male Welfare officer, once voting had begun.

In the message sent to King’s College students, he reminded people that “there are members of the college who are genuinely deeply upset by its presence” and argued that the debate over the flag was a welfare issue.

The vote on the flag’s future was brought about by Stephen Downie, a King’s fourth-year who put forward a motion for its removal earlier this month.

The Soviet flag was introduced by King’s College fellows in 2004, after students persistently drew hammer and sickle symbols on the once red walls. Bought from eBay for $5.50, the flag was intended to deter college members from vandalising the bar.

Juan de Francisco, KCSU President, said, "It's been a long two weeks, but it is clear that this was a debate well worth having.

"Granted, not everyone was happy with the result, but in the end all we can do is submit the choice to the students and let democracy take its course.

"I'm confident, however, that this is not the last we've heard of this issue."